Stick Straight Hair Styles

Offering this frizzy-haired client and alternative to 40 minutes of daily blow drying is Gary's thermal straightening service.

"This hair lacks shine and control, and this service will make it look shiny and healthy," he says. This type of straightening is a serious commitment for the client. Hair must be at least four inches long. Straightening takes two to five hours, depending on the hair's density and texture, and requires two technicians. That's why the salon charges $500 for this service. Plus, the client must leave her hair untouched fro 72 hours. No ponytails, no tucking. One of the key ingredients for achieving perfection is using a ceramic iron. The iron will smooth and shine the hair better.
Products you'll need:

• Thermal straightener, here BaByliss Professional Thermal Ionic Straightener
• Shiner, here Rusk Design Series Brilliance Polisher

Tools you'll need:

• Ceramic brushes, here Ceramic Tools
• Blow dryer, here Rusk 1875 Watt
• Straightening and flat irons, here BaByliss Pro Ceramic Straightening Irons in 24mm, 2? and 1?inch plate sizes, and Ceramic Tools 24mm straightening iron and 2?inch flat iron.

1. Shampoo, apply a leave-in conditioner, then towel-dry hair to barely damp. Start at the nape hairline by applying the straightener a half-inch off the roots all the way to the ends.
2. Working upward, apply the straightener to three sections, then comb through to distribute evenly.
3. Work up the head in this manner, treating three sections, then combing them through. Once all the hair is saturated, cover it with plastic wrap and process at room temperature for three minutes to prepare for a test strand.

4. To test, tie the hair into knots at the roots, midstrands and ends. If the knots remain closed, rinse. If they spring back, continue to process, testing every three to five minutes. When processing is complete, rinse five to 10 minutes, apply a leave-in conditioner and blow almost completely dry.
5. Using a ceramic straightening iron, pass thin sections through the clamp in a gentle, slow slide five to seven times. Work from the nape forward until the hair is smooth, shiny and without flyaways. Depending on the hair's length and thickness, this takes one to two hours.
6. Now shape the hair, cutting dry. Here, the perimeter is trimmed to the desired length, then the ends are chipped out for additional movement.

7. Interior lengths are lifted and the ends are chipped to layer.
8. Once the cut is complete, the hair can be neutralized into its final, straight form. Beginning at the nape and working forward, apply the neutralizing lotion just off the roots as before.
9. Once again, comb through every three sections. Work through the top. Process for five minutes without covering at room temperature. Rinse five to 10 minutes, towel dry, comb through and blow dry smooth.